The Winning Edge retreat could not have come at a better point in my life.

After tearing my Achilles just two days prior I was now forced to focus on being apart of the sports industry in a way other than being an athlete. I always knew I wanted to be a sports reporter and taking part in the retreat allowed me to rub shoulders with mentors who were willing to help those like me striving to be where they are some day.

My mentor was Maria Taylor, and I could not have asked for a better role model. Since the retreat I have began stepping out of my comfort zone and stepping into the reporting world. I cover the Charitable Foundation for the Washington Redskins and the Wizards for the Roundball Report. Trying to stay busy and trying to stay focused while finishing my final months of graduate school at George Mason University studying Sport Management. You can’t quite put a price on how valuable having a mentor just a phone call away is when you begin to overthink, over analyze and over worry about all the life stresses a young 22-year-old faces.

*OMG mom just kicked me off the phone plan and I have to find a job in a couple months

Maria has always been there for me no matter how silly I think my question may be or if I just need someone to talk to about planning the next steps in my career. She has helped me feel confident as a woman working in the National Football League and the best piece of advice she has given me is “DON’T STRESS YOURSELF OUT!!!”